Carolyn Classen

Carolyn Sugiyama Classen, a life long Democrat, was born & raised in the State of Hawaii, was a Legislative Aide for U.S. Senator Daniel K. Inouye on Capitol Hill, and practiced law for a while. In Tucson she worked as a tribal staff attorney for the Pascua Yaqui Tribe and later was the Interim Executive Director of the now defunct Domestic Violence Commission. In 2008 she became a “My Tucson” guest columnist for the Tucson Citizen newspaper, then continued blogging for Tucsoncitizen.com for over four and a half years. Her blogsite was entitled “Carolyn’s Community” about community events and some political news, until Gannett Publishing shut down the site on January 31, 2014. She started with Blog for Arizona on Feb. 11, 2014. Part time she sat as a Hearing Officer in Pima County Consolidated Justice Courts Small Claims Division since April, 2005 for 15 years. She is married to University of Arizona Distinguished Professor Albrecht Classen, a native of Germany. They have one son, who lives in Seattle, WA with his wife and daughter. She is also the Editor of the Southern Arizona Japanese Cultural Coalition website, www.southernazjapan.org (since Jan. 2013).

3 exhibitions at Tucson Desert Art Museum on Japanese American Internment during WWII

November 5, 2016November 2, 2016 by Carolyn Classen

“On November 5, the Tucson Desert Art Museum will open three related exhibitions on the removal and incarceration of people of Japanese ancestry after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. President Roosevelt ‘s signing of Executive Order 9066 (February 19, 1942), authorized the government to forcibly exclude all people of Japanese ancestry from designated military areas along the west coast. Nearly 120,000 people, two-thirds of whom were American citizens, were removed and detained in government facilities scattered across the U.S.”

Please join TDART for a sneak peak of these shows on November 4th (5 to 7:30 p.m.) before they officially open to the public on November 5. Light refreshments will be served. 7000 E. Tanque Verde Rd. Tucson.
Museum Members: free
Non-Members: $7

The three exhibitions are listed below:

Talk show host John C. Scott returns to the radio on KEVT

November 8, 2016November 1, 2016 by Carolyn Classen

After a 7 month hiatus, Southern Arizona talk show host John C. Scott has returned to the radio today on KEVT, 1210 AM, advertising as “progressive voices” of Southern Arizona. He defined progressive as “moving forward and onward”, talking about “progress through political reform”. His show will be M to F, 3 to 5 p.m.

On his premier show today on KEVT he interviewed:

— Jim Small, reporter at Arizona Capitol Times (they discussed the Hillary vs. Donald campaign in Arizona, early voting, close races in the Arizona State House and Senate, Propositions 205 and 206, Hispanic voting power).

— Dr. Matt Heinz, candidate in CD 2 House (talked about his opponent freshman Republican Congresswoman Martha McSally, the Affordable Care Act, Planned Parenthood, etc.)

Learn about Japanese Americans in Hawaii

November 1, 2016 by Carolyn Classen

Retired East Asian Professor Min Yanagihashi has written a paper entitled “Japanese Americans in Hawaii: Acculturation & Assimilation” about the toils and triumphs of the hard working Issei (1st generation immigrants), Nisei (2nd generation born in Hawaii), and us Sansei (3rd generation), Yonsei (4th generation), etc. Find out more by attending an informative upcoming panel discussion on Nov. 3rd, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Himmel Park Library, 1035 N. Treat Ave.

I grew up in Hawaii, after my grandparents emigrated from Japan in 1892 and 1910 to become indentured sugar plantation workers. My parents were born there in the Trust Territory of Hawaii, as U.S. Citizens. Yet my father Francis Sueo Sugiyama was discriminated against following the attack on Pearl Harbor, because of his race –expelled as a dental student by the University of Southern California. He fled to Chicago and avoided the mass internment, but got admitted to the University of Md. Dental School and finished his degree, years later. He then returned to Hawaii and practiced dentistry & orthodontics on the Big Island of Hawaii for 30 years.

7th Annual Arizona’s Greenest Workplace Challenge

October 31, 2016 by Carolyn Classen

From Mrs. Green’s World website: https://www.mrsgreensworld.com/azgwpc2016/

“Welcome to the 7th Annual Arizona’s Greenest Workplace Challenge! The contest begins November 1st! We will be posting more information here very soon, so be sure to check back for more details. Below you will find a sneak peak of the Judging Panel, the prizes, sponsors and a special Hall of Fame page highlighting the winners of the past six years.

Contest Timeline

Online Nominations will be accepted from Tuesday, November 1st until Thursday, November 10th.
Online Voting for the People’s Choice Award will be held from midnight Monday, November 14th until 12 noon on Friday, November 18th.
Winners for both the Arizona’s Greenest Workplace title (as determined by our judges) and the People’s Choice Award (determined by online voters) will be announced on Friday, November 18th.
The Arizona’s Greenest Workplace title winner will be selected by the panel of statewide sustainability advocates (below) based on information provided on the entry nomination form.

Tucson Death Cafe on Halloween

October 29, 2016 by Carolyn Classen

Nothing to do on Halloween/Octotber 31st? Tired of trick or treating? Drop by spooky Himmel Park library, where the librarians all dress up in costume (or do they?) to talk about our friend Death. Be scared. Next Tucson Death Cafe on Pearl Harbor Day anniversary. Happy Halloween.